Case study: Introduction of OKR as a company-wide goal-setting method at a publishing house

Einführung von OKR als unternehmensweite Zielsetzungsmethode bei einem Verlag

Thema: OKR

Ausgangssituation

Die Verlagsbranche sieht sich durch digitale Marktveränderungen einem signifikanten Wandel gegenüber, und auch dieser Verlag stand vor mehreren Herausforderungen:

  1. Probleme im Zielsetzungsprozess: Die bisherige Zieldefinition und Strategieplanung liefen ineffizient, was auf allen Ebenen Verbesserungsbedarf schuf.
  2. Digitale Transformation: Um die digitale Wettbewerbsfähigkeit zu steigern und junge Zielgruppen zu erreichen, sollte der Verlag Schritte in Richtung SaaS-Anbieter unternehmen.
  3. Mangelnde Mitarbeiterbindung: Einigen Mitarbeitenden war die strategische Bedeutung ihrer Arbeit nicht klar, was die Motivation und das Engagement beeinflusste.
  4. Schwache abteilungsübergreifende Kommunikation: Die Zusammenarbeit zwischen Abteilungen verlief suboptimal, besonders bei der Definition gemeinsamer Ziele.
  5. Hoher Zeitaufwand für Planung und Reporting: Die Strategieplanung und das regelmäßige Reporting zum Konzern kosteten Zeit, die in keinem Verhältnis zum Nutzen stand.

Potenzielle Konsequenzen ohne Handlungsbedarf

Wären diese Herausforderungen ungelöst geblieben, hätte dies folgende Folgen gehabt:

– Steigende Mitarbeiterfluktuation: Ohne transparente Ziele und klaren Mehrwert hätte das Unternehmen wertvolle Talente verloren, was die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit geschwächt hätte.

– Marktanteilsverluste: Die Marktposition, vor allem in digitalen Zielgruppen, wäre durch die starke Konkurrenz zunehmend bedroht worden.

– Erhöhter Druck auf die Geschäftsführung: Die drohenden Gewinnrückgänge hätten den Druck auf die Geschäftsführung verstärkt und langfristig das Geschäftsfeld gefährdet.

Die Lösung: Unterstützung durch 4-advice

Um den wachsenden Anforderungen gerecht zu werden, entschied sich der Verlag für die OKR-Einführung und wählte 4-advice als Partner für ein zielgerichtetes Change-Management und die Einführung der Methode. 4-advice setzte folgende Maßnahmen um:

  1. OKR als intuitive Methode etabliert: OKR bot den Mitarbeitenden eine verständliche Struktur, die half, ihren individuellen Wertbeitrag zum Unternehmenserfolg zu erkennen.
  2. Maßgeschneidertes OKR-Framework entwickelt: Ein an die spezifischen Unternehmensbedürfnisse angepasster Rahmen stellte sicher, dass OKR nahtlos in die Prozesse integriert werden konnte.
  3. Change-Management-Strategien: Die Einführung von OKR wurde mit gezielten Change-Management-Maßnahmen unterstützt, um Veränderungen in den Köpfen und Herzen der Mitarbeitenden zu verankern.
  4. Workshops und E-Learnings: Führungskräfte und Mitarbeitende erhielten Schulungen, die das nötige Wissen und die Fähigkeiten für OKR vermittelten.
  5. Abteilungsübergreifendes Coaching: Führungskräfte wurden individuell gecoacht, um den Übergang zu OKR effektiv zu begleiten und sicherzustellen, dass das Framework in der Praxis greift.

Ergebnisse und Kundennutzen

Die Implementierung von OKR führte zu einer Reihe positiver Veränderungen und klaren Mehrwerten für das Unternehmen:

– Maßgeschneiderte Lösung: Durch das angepasste OKR-Framework wurde eine Lösung geschaffen, die den speziellen Anforderungen des Verlages gerecht wurde.

– Erhöhte Transparenz und klare Kommunikation: OKR trug als Kommunikationssystem dazu bei, dass Ziele und Aufgaben bereichsübergreifend transparenter gestaltet und besser verstanden wurden.

– Etablierter „Way of Work“: Ein neuer Zielsetzungsprozess, der mit Führungskräften und Mitarbeitenden abgestimmt wurde, führte zu einer nachhaltigen Verankerung von OKR im Arbeitsalltag.

– E-Learning und Softwareintegration: Mitarbeitende konnten ihr Wissen über E-Learning-Ressourcen kontinuierlich erweitern, und die Auswahl passender Softwarelösungen durch 4-advice unterstützte die Implementierung nachhaltig.

Fazit

Die Einführung von Objectives and Key Results (OKR) hat für den Verlag den entscheidenden Unterschied gemacht, um den Herausforderungen der digitalen Transformation gerecht zu werden. Dank der Unterstützung von 4-advice gelang es, nicht nur die Prozesse zu optimieren, sondern auch die Motivation und Bindung der Mitarbeitenden zu stärken. OKR hat die Zielsetzung und interne Kommunikation transformiert und sich als entscheidender Schritt für die zukünftige Wettbewerbsfähigkeit des Verlags erwiesen.

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Simon has been teaching as a lecturer with a high level of professional expertise and great personal commitment for many years in the international master's program in Digital Management at the private Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in the Mediapark Cologne. The innovative teaching methods introduced by Simon and 4-advice, applying methodologies like the Google Design Sprint, add great practical value for our students. I have experienced 4-advice's methodological competence within their lectures „Digital Innovation“ and „Digital Transformation“. The Design Sprint is a great tool to reduce time-to-market to a bare minimum. That's why it's a very valuable method to develop new products, processes, organization and business models. Actually it can be used to tackle most types of challenges.”

I have come to know Simon and his 4-advice team as proven experts in change management and innovation. His approach of „playful change“, for example, is always breaking new and creative ground to achieve better results. One highlight is certainly the „Business Escape Rooms“, which I myself have experienced as very positive. As a specialist in project management, Simon and his team also support companies with organizational development teams with many years of experience and a great deal of intuition. Simon has absolute integrity, is always highly motivated and 100%ig reliable. He is true to his word! This is one of the reasons why I enjoy working with him so much - and why I recommend him.

The combination of theory and practice. We were able to apply what we learned in the training course directly to our day-to-day work and build a bridge directly to our job. The content is applicable to everyday work. I will integrate the methods but also the learned ways of thinking into my everyday work and act accordingly to successfully implement my changes. Change, change management will receive even more attention in the coming years and having already learned the relevant methods will help me personally to handle my tasks/changes in the best possible way. The training definitely fits in with the professional world and is not just theory.

The structured increase in knowledge led to aha-effects and often to questions as to why we hadn't thought of this ourselves. In any case, the DCM course enriches everyday project work and will lead to better change initiatives.
Thanks to the open and friendly lecturers, many practical points were addressed honestly and there was a good atmosphere in the course. What we learned will not just be put into practice in the future. It can already be felt in discussions and new projects. For the future, I will develop a standardized basic „substructure“ that will be individually adapted and/or expanded to the projects.
We will also need to address our most fundamental problems (communication, stable role allocation, rewards).
Last but not least, I'll probably be dreaming about agile working for a while ... great exchange, comprehensive consideration of the change, lots of practical tips, thinking outside the box, re-evaluation of our own activities in the past - most of the time we've already done a lot of things right, but never realized it

The mixture of change methods and their practical application. The documents, scripts, Excel templates and workbooks are absolutely practical for your own daily work in change projects. The module breakdown from the general understanding of digitalization to dealing with change is clearly structured. The trainers' distinct field of expertise in change management across different industries and organizations. The application of the methods for successful change in digitization that I have learned will help me a lot to achieve acceptance among stakeholders.
Through a mix of eLearning, teaching methods, case studies and live coaching, I have built up very valuable knowledge of digital change management, which I will also pass on to other project managers, especially young engineers.
The intensity and speed of change continues to increase rapidly - the digitalization skills taught by 4-advice are worth their weight in gold. Digitization as a rationalization factor will pick up speed rapidly in the coming years. There is still a considerable need for process digitization in many companies, especially in the medium-sized mechanical engineering sector, my core area. Training your own employees to become digital change managers is the basis for successful change and securing the company's future.

The content was very comprehensive and well-founded, the preparation of the content was very well structured and appealing. The speakers (Markus, Simon) presented the content in a very interesting way and supplemented it with practical examples. Questions from the participants were dealt with very well. The group composition was enriching due to the different backgrounds and the group work. I am constantly involved in change projects, so I can apply what I have learned very well, now with a much more sound background and more tools. Reason for recommendation: See above! However, you have to be aware of the disadvantage of a remote WB - the informal exchange of practical experience falls somewhat by the wayside. But all in all, a great training course!

The course was staffed by two extremely well-prepared trainers who not only guided the participants through the training in a competent and humorous manner, but also knew how to form a „harmonious learning group“ despite the virtual training sessions. In addition to an incredibly varied transfer of knowledge, there was never a shortage of fun and sharing of experiences!
I was able to apply almost all of the learning content during the training phase, be it in customer projects, in offers or in my daily work with colleagues.
Even in the private sphere, some of the content conveyed was of great benefit. Firstly, the „philosophy“ conveyed, what is behind „change“ and why it is worthwhile to deal intensively with direct and indirect influences and consequences. Secondly, because the training is more generalist in nature and therefore guarantees a wide range of professional and personal applications. Thirdly, because the combination of „firstly“ and „secondly“ generates maximum added value